Wolfenstein
Wolfenstein is the 2009 direct sequel to Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Overview Wolfenstein is the latest game in the Wolfenstein series, co-developed by Raven Software, Id Software, Pi Studios, and Endrant Studios and published by Activision. It was released for the XBox 360, Playstation 3 and PC in August 2009 and became available on the Steam distribution network in October 2009. The game runs on a heavily modified Id Tech 4 (aka Doom 3) engine, with physics simulation using the Havok engine. The game featured a "re-imagined" dark haired BJ Blazkowicz, retaining the unshaven look seen in Return to Castle Wolfenstein and dressed in civilian clothes rather than his usual military uniform. He is usually depicted carrying an MP 40, though in the introduction he is shown with the M1911 pistol he used in several missions in the previous game. Plot Late in 1943, following the failure of Operation Resurrection, the Nazis discover a source of power in the form of the Veil, a mysterious dimension which can be manipulated using crystals found in the disputed city of Isenstadt. The Allies discover their plan after BJ Blazkowicz infiltrates the battleship Tirpitz to prevent a missile launch on London. He recovers a Thule Medallion from a Nazi General, returning it to the OSA in London who order him to go to Isenstadt and discover what the Nazis have planned. Game mechanics Wolfenstein is the first game in the series designed primarily for a console market, and the console versions feature a hybrid of the two-weapon system popularised by Halo and the unlimited inventories of older games such as Return to Castle Wolfenstein. The eight usable weapons are selected using a radial wheel, while tapping the weapon select button switches between the last two weapons chosen from this wheel. The PC version does not using the system; the mousewheel cycles between all weapons and individual ones can be quick-selected using the number keys. The player is also able to carry a set number of grenades, thrown using a hotkey, and can pick up and throw objects with some being usable as Melee weapons. As with many modern shooters, BJ now has regenerating health rather than requiring health packs; this means that BJ can no longer eat food as in previous games. A key gimmick of the game is the power of the Thule Medallion which BJ acquires in the second storyline mission. The device, powered by a reserve of "Veil Energy" indicated by a bar in the bottom-left of the HUD, can be triggered at any time to grant the player access to four Veil Powers; the ability to enter the Veil, the time-slowing Mire, a protective Shield and the damage-multiplying Empower. The game features a pseudo-open world system based around the city of Isenstadt, which is divided into two main maps (Midtown and Downtown) each with two areas seperated by loading gates. These areas act as hubs with two mission givers, the Kreisau Circle and Golden Dawn, having bases in each main map, though the Golden Dawn has no actual missions in Downtown. Missions are triggered by approaching specific gates within the hub worlds, which then lead to more traditional linear mission maps. The game features nine main missions, one boss level, and five optional side missions. As with Return to Castle Wolfenstein, BJ can find readable papers and clipboards, now referred to as Intel and stored in a "Journal" which acts as a database and map, as well as Gold. Tomes of Power can also be found. Gold now serves a purpose rather than simply being a useless reward for finding a secret; Gold along with the money given as a reward for finishing each mission is used as currency in the Black Market which allows the player to upgrade their weapons and abilities and purchase ammunition. Since there is only a limited amount of currency in the whole game, the latter function is of dubious usefulness. Collecting a certain number of Intels or Tomes will unlock some of the upgrades, while the rest are unlocked by completing the storyline missions. While the game openly states that there is not enough money in the game for the player to purchase all the upgrades, collecting all Intels gives the player all weapon upgrades for free, while collecting all Tomes does the same for Veil Powers. Weapons The "Weapon Wheel" is brought up when you hold down Right Bumper, allowing selection of eight different weapons: MP40 Sub Machine Gun KAR98 Bolt Action Rifle MP43 Assault Rifle MG42 Machine Gun (Stationary) Stick Grenades Panzershreck Anti Tank Weapon Particle Cannon Tesla Gun Bayonet may be purchased as an Upgrade for the KAR98 Enemies 1. Wehrmacht Infantry 2. Infantry Officer 3. SS soldier 3. Heavy Trooper Marketing A series of trailers dubbed "visual graphic novels" re-telling truncated versions of the plots of previous games were released prior to Wolfenstein, apparently in an attempt to tie the four main games into a single consistent timeline, with the order being Spear of Destiny, Wolfenstein 3D, Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Wolfenstein. These trailers are of dubious canonicity since neither of the two recent games make any reference to the events of their alleged predecessors and the trailers directly contradict events in both games. These trailers proclaim the existence of a group called the "Fourth Reich;" this is the only time in the series that this term appears, with the actual games always calling Nazi Germany the "Third Reich." *[http://www.gametrailers.com/video/graphic-novel-wolfenstein/52340 Visual Graphic Novel part 1: Wolfenstein 3D] *[http://www.gametrailers.com/video/graphic-novel-wolfenstein/52486 Visual Graphic Novel part 2: Spear of Destiny] *[http://www.gametrailers.com/video/graphic-novel-wolfenstein/52488 Visual Graphic Novel part 3: Return to Castle Wolfenstein] *[http://www.gametrailers.com/video/graphic-novel-wolfenstein/52490 Visual Graphic Novel part 4: Wolfenstein] Reception and sales Wolfenstein met with average reviews with Metacritic rankings in the low to mid 70s for the three versions. The game did not meet sales predictions, selling a combined total of 106,000 copies in its first month, and this combined with the poor performance of X-Men Origins: Wolverine resulted in Activision laying off a number of staff at Raven Software. References to older games * It will have a tip every time when it loads at the loading screen for help with the game. However, very rarely instead of tip, it will simply say, in capitals "GET PSYCHED" this is a reference to how whenever it loaded in Wolfenstein 3D it only had the message "Get Psyched!" this message appear quite alot before you fight Hans Grosse. * After the Church mission (where you first encounter the Despoiled) one of the members of the Black Market that says random things when you talk will sometimes say "I wonder what the Spear of Destiny will fetch for a price these days," a reference to how you find the Spear of Destiny in the original Wolfenstein series. * In the first cutscene for the Tavern Mission, the one where you first see Hans Grosse, before he gets into a fist fight with a man (a very brief one, since Hans kills the man in one punch) he says "Guten Tag." That is obviously a reference to how when you find Hans Grosse in Wolfenstein 3D his alert sound is "Guten Tag!" * Some Schutzstaffel officers scream "Mein Leben!" upon dying. * The first intel in Dig Site is written by a "Dr. Bohren." This is presumably Dr. Carl Bohren, the writer of "A Spiritual History of the Third Reich" referenced in the readable Operation: Resurrection Project Book in Return to Castle Wolfenstein. * One of the later Intels in the game level is General Zetta threatening a "Dr. Blavatsky," presumably some relative of Marianna Blavatsky. * Wolfgang Statz appears to be the same officer who spoke to Himmler in Return to Castle Wolfenstein's ending. * The Tomes are a reference to Raven's older games Hexen and Heretic. Category:Games Category:Wolfenstein (2009)